Cristiana - one more mask

[Manfred M]

One more shot of Cristiana wearing a carnival mask. This time I went for a full body shot on black seamless paper.

[Shadowman]

Now that is an exciting pose, costume, and lighting choice.

[mugge]

Why is there not a burn out on the model's left shoulder. I guess because the lighting is, to my mind, just right.
Cheers Ole

[Manfred M]

Why is there not a burn out on the model's left shoulder. I guess because the lighting is, to my mind, just right.
Cheers Ole

The lighting AND the exposure are right. I use a flash meter when I set up the lights to ensure that the exposure is correct.

To give you an idea of what I started with, this is the base image before about 6 layers of curve adjustment layers, dodging, burning and "repairs". This give you a better idea of what the actual light drop-off (inverse square law) looked like.

[skitterbug]

Has her mask slipped just a bit over her right eye (left side)? Other than that, it is a classy pic!

[Manfred M]

Has her mask slipped just a bit over her right eye (left side)? Other than that, it is a classy pic!

Short of gluing the mask to her face; the eyes not lining up with the eye holes in the mask are a common issue when shooting someone wearing one. Often in mask shots, the eyes are not well lit (largely in shadow) and we don't see the issue as much. By trying to light for the eyes the problem was made worse.

The issue here is we were trying to shoot portraits with the model posing while wearing the mask, so every time she moved, we had a shift.

Different model and different mask with a head shot shows that it can be done, but is tricky.

[skitterbug]

The models are constantly shifting then? That would definitely add to the challenge for keeping gear in place. I like seeing how you go about this form of photography. It definitely isn't anything that I know much about but it is interesting to hear the background for this photo work. This last mask pic is really intriguing!
Thanks for sharing your talent!

[Manfred M]

The models are constantly shifting then? That would definitely add to the challenge for keeping gear in place. I like seeing how you go about this form of photography. It definitely isn't anything that I know much about but it is interesting to hear the background for this photo work. This last mask pic is really intriguing!
Thanks for sharing your talent!

The model moves, the photographer moves, the camera focal length changes, etc. Here are a few of my shots from this particular series of shots to show that.

It is a collaborative effort. The photographer has a visual idea and the model tries to implement that. The photographer directs what he or she wants the model to do. Experienced models will bring their own ideas into the shot.

[skitterbug]

And to think that a "long time ago" I used to be that slim.....
But back to the mechanism of this type of photo work, I'm curious about what the photos will be used for? Do the models use these for their personal portfolios? or are they for advertisement? I imagine when the models and the photographer click, these shoots are still work but a lot of fun as well.
Thanks again Manfred for providing history to your project!

[Manfred M]

And to think that a "long time ago" I used to be that slim.....
But back to the mechanism of this type of photo work, I'm curious about what the photos will be used for? Do the models use these for their personal portfolios? or are they for advertisement? I imagine when the models and the photographer click, these shoots are still work but a lot of fun as well.
Thanks again Manfred for providing history to your project!

This event was a "social shoot". Four photographers rented the studio at our photo club and hired a model for a couple of hours. Each of us had an idea on what we wanted to try so came up with a lighting plan and in some cases props to be used for the shoot. The studio has five studio lights with modifiers, back drops, etc. Above all it is nice and large.

For less than $CAD 30, we had a couple of hours to try out new ideas, which is exactly what we did. One of the things I wanted to try out was getting some semi-see through shots where we were lighting both the model as well as trying to light the clothing she was wearing. I posted one of those images on this thread: Cristiana 3 - Unmasked

The model does get to use the shots in her portfolio and the photographers do as well. The only "rule" we have is that we won't submit other's ideas into club competitions.

[skitterbug]

Cristiana 3 - Unmasked is one of my favorites of your series. Nice that the model has excellent photos to add to her collection and you gain even more valuable experience plus have an enjoyable day as well. All a plus! Thank you for sharing your experience!